Putty applicator or tool



Jan. 17, 1956 GREENE PUTTY APPLICATOR 0R TOOL Filed Aug; 19, 1954 IN VEN TOR. LEO GREENE ATTORNEYS United States Patent PUTTY APPLICATOR OR TOOL Leo Greene, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application August 19, 1954, Serial No. 450,918

2 Claims. (Cl. 18-35) This invention relates generally to putty applicators or puttying tools.

It has heretofore been proposed, as in Halaska Patent No. 1,390,126 to provide a puttying tool having a smoothing blade extending longitudinally along one edge of the body at an acute angle to the body, with the ends of the blade cut at an angle. Since the ends of the blade are coplanar with the remainder of the blade, such a tool is objectionable in that the ends have a tendency to cut into the putty and prevent formation of a smooth surface on the putty.

In the Martines Patent No. 2,385,149, the ends of the blade are similarly cut or disposed at an angle, and the leading end of the blade is curved upwardly so as to provide a rounded lip or nose. However, the blade is so short that there is a tendency for it to rock as it is moved along the putty.

it has also been proposed, as in Christman Patent 2,247,604, to provide a putty applicator in which the en the applicator surface is longitudinally rounded, but this is objectionable because the surface tends to rock and produce waves, lines or ribs in the putty surface during the puttying operation.

it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a putty applicator or puttying tool, which not only overcomes all of the aforesaid disadvantages and objections, but which is so simple in construction that it can be manufactured and sold at a mere fraction of the cost of such previous applicators.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an applicator of the character described which has a relatively long fiat blade, enabling the putty to be applied or smoothed without fear of the blade rocking about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of the blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide an applicator of the character described, in which both ends of the blade are upturned to provide a surface which will not cut into the putty, irrespective of the direction of movement of the applicator.

A further object of the invention is to provide an applicator of the character described, in which the body of the applicator is of a construction similar to that of the blade, but is somewhat narrower than the blade, so that the body may be used for smoothing with the same effect as the blade, but on areas which are narrower than those on which the blade is used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an applicator of the character described, which is provided with a handle which is secured to the body of the applicator without extraneous fastening means, such as screws, rivets and the like.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view, showing the manner in which the applicator is used;

2,730,756 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the applicator;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the putty applicator or puttying tool will be seen to comprise a body 1 formed of sheet metal, said body being of rectangular form and being relatively long as compared to the width thereof, the length being approximately six times the width. The body 1 is bent at both ends to pro vide upwardly curved flanges 2 and 3, which serve a purpose to be presently described.

The applicator further includes a putty applying and smoothing blade 4 which extends longitudinally along one edge of the body 1, at an acute angle to the body, the angle being such as to provide the desired angular outer surface to the putty binder indicated at 5 as it is applied to the window frame 6 for holding the window pane 7 in place.

The blade 4 is identical in construction with the body 1, and is coextensive in length with the body, but is somewhat wider than the latter, and is provided with upwardly curved end flanges 8 and 9 which are similar in all respects to the flanges 2 and 3. The blade, in fact, is formed integrally with the body, so that the body and blade may be stamped and formed in virtually a single operation from a rectangular piece of sheet metal or strip.

For the purpose of facilitating handling and use of the tool, a handle is provided which is formed from a single strip of sheet metal bent to provide an inverted U-shaped central portion lil which is adapted to be grasped by the fingers of the user of the tool, and flanges ill and 12 extending horizontally outward from the ends of said U- shaped portion and spot welded, as at 13, to the upper surface of the body 1, it being noted that the handle is secured to the body centrally of the latter, and that the flanges ill and 12; are spaced somewhat from the flanges 2 and 3.

In using the applicator, the putty is first roughly applied to the window frame in the conventional manner. The applicator is then placed with the outer surface of the body 1 in engagement with the frame, as shown in Pig. 1, and the tool is then drawn along the frame with the blade 4 engaging the putty, securely pressing it in place and shaping it.

The tool is characterized by the following advantages and uses, among others:

(a) The blade 4, being flat and extremely long, in relation to its width, lies flat along the putty, and produces a smooth flat surface on the putty, without any possibility of the blade rocking about an axis or axes transverse to the direction of movement of the blade.

(b) Since both ends of the blade are provided with upturned curved flanges, which lie transversely to the general longitudinal axis of the blade, the blade can be moved in either direction along the frame without danger of the ends of the blade cutting into or marring the putty surface. Moreover, there is no tendency of the ends of the blade to produce a shearing action on the putty. This construction, furthermore, enables the applicator to be used with equal facility by either a right-handed or lefthanded person.

(c) Since the body 1 of the applicator is of substantially the same construction as the blade, but somewhat narrower than the blade, the applicator may be reversed and the body used as a blade in the same manner as the blade, but on narrower putty surfaces, where use of a wider blade is awkward or impractical.

(d) The applicator is of such simple construction that it can be manufactured and sold at a mere fraction of the 7 cost of other applicators on the market.

(e) The handle is of extremely simple construction, and is secured to the body Without extraneous fastening means, such as screws, rivets and the like.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A putty applicator comprising a body of substantially rectangular flat form and a blade extending angularly from one longitudinal edge of the body, said blade being of elongated rectangular form and fiat for the major portion of its length, and having upwardly extending curved flanges at both ends thereof, said flanges permitting smoothing action on the putty by the blade irrespective of the longitudinal direction in which the blade is moved, and without danger of the ends of the blade digging into the putty during such smoothing action, said blade being substantially coextensive in length with the body, and the ends of said blade being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of 25 the blade.

2. A putty applicator comprising a supporting body and a blade supported by said body, said blade having a flat working surface of elongated rectangular form, said blade having upturned flanges extending from both ends of said working surface, at an acute angle to the plane of said working surface, the junctions of said flanges with said Working surface being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of said blade, said flanges permitting smoothing action on the putty irrespective of the longitudinal direction in which the blade is moved, and without danger of the ends of the blade digging into the putty during such smoothing action, said flanges effective to push excess putty in the direction of movement of the blade during the smoothing action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,416 Connelly Apr. 24, 1906 1,390,126 Halaska, Jr. Sept. 6, 1921 1,604,792 Skogberg Oct. 26, 1 926 2,247,603 Christman July 1, 1941 2,385,149 Martines Sept. 18, 1945 

